Table



G. E. TOMLINSON.

TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, I920. RENEWED SEPT. 17, 1921- 1,395,166. Patented 001;. 25, 1921.

/() INVENTOR WITNESSES 5% w w Vow 9 J2. v

v ATTORNEYS PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. TOMLINSON, OF WINCHESTER, KENTUCKY.

TABLE.

Application filed June 8, 1920, SerialNo. 387,321.

. To all whom 2'15 may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. TOMLINSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Winchester, in the county of Clark'and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and Improved Table, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to tables, and has particular reference to sectional or collapsible tables.

An object of the invention is to provide a sectional or collapsible table composed of a minimum number of parts, which can be quickly and readily put together to form a strong, compact table.

Another object is to provide a table which can be quickly dismantled and packed or stored in the smallest possible space.

Other objects reside in the particular arrangement and construction of the parts which are hereinafter set forth more in detail in the following Specification and claims.

The table which embodies the various features of my invention comprises two or more vertical leg portions or supports which are spaced apart and connected by a bracing member with which each support is adapted to engage. The ends of the bracing member are provided with means engaging with the supports to lock with the same and hold the supports and the bracing member firmly together along their contacting edges, whereby a rigid supporting unit may be provided.

The table further comprises a top, which may be in one piece or may be composed of more than one piece. Theupper outer edges of the supports are provided with resilient locking means which are adapted to engage with suitable sockets in the edges of the top portions to lock the top portions with the supports These locking members are so constructed that they project only arvery small amount beyondthe faces of the top and the support, so that objectionable projections are not formed. If the top portion of the table is composed of two members, instead of one, the upper face of the supports, in the middle thereof may be provided with a stationary double surface post which is adapted to engage with sockets in the adjacent faces of the topportion to further. insure Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

Renewed September 17, 1921. Serial No. 501,423.

the table;

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation with certain parts broken away to show the en gagement of the bracing member with one of the supports;

Fig. Sis a partial transverse section showing the details of the resilient locking means between the supports andthe top;

Fig. 4 is a similar view takfenon the line 4l-4 of Fig. 3; p

Fig. 5 is a detail section showing the relation of the stationary post to the top portions; and

I Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the various parts may be assembled for packing. I

As illustrated in the drawings, the table comprises two vertical leg portions or supports, a bracing member extending across betweenv the two supports, and a top portion, which may be composed of one or two parts. Each leg or supporting portion comprises a base 1, an upper head piece or supporting member 2, and two upright pieces 3 and 4 which are suitably connected together. The upright pieces 3 and 4 are spaced apart sligthly, and dowel pins 5 and 6 extend therebetween. The bracing member or connecting portion 7 is provided at each end with a metallic plate 8, which may be connected thereto in any suitable manner. This plate 8, along its outer edge, is provided with two wedge-shaped projecting hook members 9 and 10. It will be noticed from an examination of Fig. 1 that the width of the plate 8 is just sufiicient to admit the hooks 9 and 10 between the upright portions 3 and 4 so that they may engage with the dowel pins 5 and 6. The width of the bracing member 7, however,

is much greater than the width of the plate 8, so that as the wedge-shaped hooks 9 and 10 engage with the dowel pins 5 and 6, the abutting surfaces of the upright pieces 3 and 4: and the brace member? are drawn firmly and intimately into contact with each other. Since this action takes place at each end of the bracing member 7 this member and the two leg or supporting portions are" the small compass within which the various formed into a rigid compact unit.

Eachleg portion or support alongthe upper outer edges of the head piece 2 is provided with a'suitable casing 11, whichrmay be of metal, and which is secured to the head piece 2 and fits into a prepared cutaway portion thereof. In this casing is disposed a bolt 12 having a square cross-section, the inner end of which is provided with a'pin 13 and a square washer 1 1. Betwcenthis washer 14 and the front inner surface of the casing 11 a spring 15 is disposed, the normal tendency of which is to hold the bolt 12 within the casing 11. The bolt 12 is provided with an upwardly 16 which normally lies closely adjacent the front faceof the casing 11. This portion 16 i at its upper end is provided with a back- :two pieces,

. are provided. with .wardly extending projection 17 which is adapted to extend into a socket in the outer edge of the top portion 18. The socket 19 may be provided with a suitable metallic lining 20 to prevent undue wear of the top portion 18. It will be readily apparent that by taking hold of the projecting end. of the bolt 12, this bolt can be pulled out while the table top' portion 18 is being put in place, whereupon, when the socket 19' has been properlypositioned, the projecting end 17 of the bolt may be permitted to engage the same and lock the top portion to the support. Since each upper outer edge of the leg portion is provided with a resilient locking connection, as just described, composed'of one piece, these four locking devices willbe sufficient to maintain a firm engagement of the top with the leg portions.

When the top portion, however, is made of an additional locking device may be provided. Thisdevice comprises a stationary post 21 having horizontal oppositely extending head portions 22 and 23 which are spaced slightly above the top edge of the supports. This stationary post is placed in the middle of the upper edge of the leg portions or supports, substantially in line with the abutting edges of the top portion. Along these inner abutting edges the top portions sockets, similar in every respect to. the sockets 19 above mentioned,

and so positioned along the inner edges that whenja socket19 is adapted to engage with the resilient locking mechanism above 1 described, a similar socketis positioned opposite one of the projecting portions of the stationary'post 21.

extending portion 7 if the table top is tionary post From the construction of Figs. 3, 1 and 5 it will be evident that the locking means herein described provide a simple and positive mechanism whereby the top portions of the table are firmly held not only with respect to each other but with respect to the supports or leg portions.

p In Fig. 6 the various parts are shown 1n a dismantled condition, and is illustrative of parts may be packed or stored.

vIclaimz. V l U I 1. A table comprising a top portion having sockets in its edges, a supporting portion, a stationary post in the middle of the upper faceof the supporting portion having projections thereon adapted to engage'certain of said sockets, and a movable locking meansat. one endof the upper face of the supporting portion adapted to 1 engage another socket to lock the top portionto the supportingportion. w

2. A table comprising a top portion having sockets in its edges, a supporting portion, a stationary post at the center of the upper face of said supporting portion having projections thereon adapted to engage with certain of said sockets, and resilient locking-means at the end: of the upper face of the supporting portion adapted to engage another of saidsockets tolock the top portion to the supportingportion. i 3. A table comprising supporting end portions, 'a bracing member extending therebetween, locking means on said bracing member adaptedto engage said endportions, a top portion having sockets'in its edges, stationary engaging means on. a; supporting end portion toengage one edge of the top portion, and movable means on said supporting end portion to engage an opposite edge of the top portion to lock the top portion to the supportinglportion. V

,4. A table comprising supporting end portions, a bracing member extending therebetween, locking means on said bracing mem ber adapted to engage said end portions, a top portion having sockets in. its edges,v a

stationary post at. the center of the upper A face of a supporting portion, having projections thereon engaging in certain of said sockets, and a movable locking means at the end of the upper face of said supporting portion adapted to engage another of said sockets and lock the top portion to the supporting portion. p p 5. A table comprising supporting end portions, a bracing member extending therebetween, locking means on said bracing memberadapted to engage said end portions, a top portionhaving sockets in its edges, a staat the middle of the upper face of a supporting portion having projections engaging with certain of said sockets, and resilient locking means at the end of the upper face of said supporting portion adapted thereon engaging certain of said sockets, a to engage another of said sockets to lock the casing seated in the outer edge of the sup- 10 top portion to the supporting portions. porting portion adjacent the edge of the 6. A table comprising a top portion havtable top, and a spring-pressed bolt in said 5 ing sockets in its edges, a supporting porcasing having a projecting head, said head tion, a lining in each of said sockets, a staadapted to engage in another of the sockets tionary post at the middle of the upper face to look the table top to the support.

of the supporting portion having projections GEORGE E. TOMLIN SON. 

